Postwar Crusades
The Postwar Crusades, otherwise known as the Sangheili Crusades or the Covenant Eradication Crusades, were a series of conflicts lead by many Covenant Separatist Leaders to root out and destroy splinter factions of the Covenant Empire. The Crusades began a little over a year after the official end of the Human-Covenant War. Many Sangheili and former Covenant Separatists felt that they had been wronged by the Covenant and wanted to enact revenge on those that still followed the defunct Empire's tenants. Others wanted to eliminate all traces of the genocidal Covenant from the galaxy. These forces combined to form the Knights of the Crusade, a group of soldiers and fleets dedicated to fighting the Covenant's remnants. The first major battle in the Crusades was fought at the Lekgolo homeworld of Te, where a large remnant of Covenant forces had been holding presence since the end of the war. The Fleet of the Righteous Crusade attacked the Covenant occupying force. The Crusades ended after the Battle of Threshold, when a legion of Crusaders slaughtered a large number of Unggoy noncombatants on the moon of Basis. The atrocity soiled the reputation of the Crusades, ultimately leading to disbanding of the Knights. History Antebellum The conflicts of the Postwar Crusades find their beginnings in the political aftermath of the Human-Covenant War. Due to the Covenant's strict caste system and utilizing certain species for specific tasks, many of the former Empire's races were left in crisis. The Sangheili were especially affected, as their culture had revolved solely around war for centuries. On April 30th, 2555, a group of high-ranking Sangheili generals and shipmasters met to discuss this problem aboard the Assault Carrier Defiant Martyr. During the meeting, they decided that it would be better to direct their men at what was left of the former Covenant Empire than risk dissolving into multiple warring classes. Over the next several months, the group began gathering military assets, forming both the Knights of the Crusade and the Fleet of the Righteous Crusade. They also began scouting out a large Covenant Remnant holding territory on the Lekgolo homeworld of Te. On July 2nd of 2555, the Crusaders decided that they would attack the remnants on Te to announce their campaign to eradicate whatever was left of the Covenant Empire. Liberation of Te The first true battle of the Crusades began on July 17th, 2555, when the Fleet of the Righteous Crusade engaged a large Covenant Fleet holding position over the world of Te. The battle was fierce, involving both naval battles and ground deployments on the moon Uhtua. After six days of intense fighting, nearly all of the Covenant forces orbiting Te were eradicated. Those left were taken prisoner by the Crusaders or summarily executed on the Uhtua Base. The show of force and rather quick destruction of a major loyalist force caught the Crusaders favor in the eyes of the public. Their cause suddenly emboldened, the Crusaders began to set their eyes on other goals. Battle of Eayn Battles of Doisac First Siege Second Siege Skirmish of Installation 05 Battle of Threshold Massacre at Basis Disbandment Aftermath Timeline Trivia